The North State Journal

CHARLOTTE — Even without hosting a single match, North Carolina will play a visible role in the 2026 FIFA World Cup this summer. Three European men’s national teams — Germany, Norway and Scotland — have […]

Bluegrass festival in Stanly County evolves, maintains tradition

OAKBORO — Rooted in authenticity, much like the genre itself, the Big Lick Bluegrass Festival — as large and respected as it has become — carries the feel of an earlier era, shaped by the […]

Banana Ball brings party to Chapel Hill

CHAPEL HILL – Bill Belichick heard home-crowd cheers in front of a crowd of about 50,000 spectators at Kenan Stadium. All it took was the UNC football coach joining the Savannah Bananas’ coaching staff for […]

NC State, Gainey have work to do in first portal window

The NC State Wolfpack have moved quickly to build out the staff for its men’s basketball program following the sudden departure of former head coach Will Wade. After hiring Justin Gainey as the new head […]

Category 5: Hurricanes eye 2-0 series lead

April 20, 2026

The Hurricanes limited the Senators in Game 1 of their first round series, coming away with a 2-0 win and a chance to hold serve at home in Monday’s Game 2. Carolina is 8-3 under [...]
Blue bloods begin portal madness

April 20, 2026

The college basketball season has been over for a little more than a week. That’s more than enough time for the new round of madness to begin. The transfer portal opened as the season came [...]
Young leads NC golfers at Masters

April 20, 2026

Cameron Young couldn’t have asked for much more. He went into the final day of the Masters tied for the lead, then built a two-shot margin midway through Sunday’s round. Well, maybe he could have [...]
The great sacrifice of Christ is both the model for all Christian life, and also its inspiration
The Word: Living sacrifices

April 19, 2026

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” Romans 12:1 The godly life is not one [...]
A 180-day continuance was requested by Decarlos Brown Jr. s public defender
Zarutska murder suspect ‘incapable to proceed’

April 19, 2026

RALEIGH — A motion for a continuance has been filed in the trial of Decarlos Brown Jr., the man accused of murdering Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on Charlotte’s light rail train system last August. The [...]

Audit says Elm City violated purchasing policies

April 21, 2026 Comments Off

RALEIGH — A state investigative audit report was released near the end of March detailing a series of policy violations by officials in the Town of Elm City, a Wilson County community of approximately 1,218 […]

Martinook’s OT winner ends Hurricanes’ wild 3-2 win in Game 2

April 21, 2026 Comments Off

RALEIGH — Jordan Martinook is the emotional leader of the Carolina Hurricanes, and in Monday’s Game 2 against the visiting Senators, he proved he can handle the highest of highs and lowest of lows. Martinook’s […]

ABC Commission vendor hit most targets, missed delivery deadlines

April 20, 2026 Comments Off

RALEIGH — The North Carolina Office of the State Auditor has released a performance audit of the vendor that handles warehousing and statewide delivery of liquor for the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission. “North Carolina’s ABC […]

Category 5: Hurricanes eye 2-0 series lead

April 20, 2026

The Hurricanes limited the Senators in Game 1 of their first round series, coming away with a 2-0 win and a chance to hold serve at home in Monday’s Game 2. Carolina is 8-3 under […]

Blue bloods begin portal madness

April 20, 2026

The college basketball season has been over for a little more than a week. That’s more than enough time for the new round of madness to begin. The transfer portal opened as the season came […]

Young leads NC golfers at Masters

April 20, 2026

Cameron Young couldn’t have asked for much more. He went into the final day of the Masters tied for the lead, then built a two-shot margin midway through Sunday’s round. Well, maybe he could have […]

Andersen blanks Senators, Stankoven leads way in Hurricanes’ Game 1 win

April 18, 2026

RALEIGH — The Hurricanes are part of Justin Williams’ legacy as Mr. Game 7. Logan Stankoven might be Mr. Game 1. Stankoven, who opened last postseason with two goals in the opener against the Devils, […]

Category 5: Hurricanes, Senators gear up for Game 1

April 18, 2026

RALEIGH — The grind is over. It’s also just beginning. The Hurricanes and Senators meet for Game 1 of their first round playoff series Saturday at 3 p.m. at Lenovo Center, a matchup of two […]

Series preview: Hurricanes face Senators in Round 1

RALEIGH — Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour was asked Thursday if the path to the Stanley Cup — with two-time defending champion Florida not in the playoffs and Carolina the Eastern Conference’s No. 1 seed — […]

This week in history: April 16 to April 22

April 16 1917: Vladimir Lenin returned to Russia from exile in Europe by train, taking command of the Russian Revolution that would overthrow the provisional government and pave the way for the Soviet Union. 1945: […]

Famous birthdays this week: April 16 to April 22

These celebrities have birthdays this week: April 16 Singer Bobby Vinton is 91. Basketball Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is 79. Football coach Bill Belichick is 74. Actor Ellen Barkin is 72. Singer Jimmy Osmond […]

The Word: A living Christ

April 12, 2026

It has been suggested that one of the faults of much evangelical preaching is the too exclusive presentation of a suffering, dying, dead, and buried Christ — rather than of a risen, living, ever-sympathizing, ever-helping […]

JD Vance has new book about his religious faith, ‘Communion,’ out late spring

April 11, 2026

Vice President JD Vance has a new book coming out that will explore his religious faith and his conversion to Catholicism as an adult. “Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith” comes out June 16, […]

The stream: Sydney Sweeney, ‘Malcolm in the Middle,’ Jonah Hill, ‘Hacks’ finale, Ella Langley

April 10, 2026

Sydney Sweeney starring as real-life boxing legend Christy Martin in the movie “Christy” and “Hacks” launching its fifth and final season on HBO are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to […]

This week in history: April 9 to April 15

April 9, 2026

April 9 1865: Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia to Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia, effectively ending the Civil War. Remaining Confederate forces […]

BERGER: Let’s not miss our chance to continue North Carolina’s Conservative successes

Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Eden) released the following column highlighting his goals and thoughts ahead of the 2026 legislative session that starts on April 21. The 2026 short session brings an opportunity to continue North […]

SHAPIRO: This is what a world superpower looks like

America is living through a moment difficult to describe without sounding a little unhinged. But here goes: We are watching the United States do things that only the United States can do. In the span […]

BARONE: 39 days: Too much or not enough?

Will the U.S.-Iran war turn out to have been the 39-day war, following the locution of the 12-day Israel-Iran war of June 2025? The markets, as this is written, seem to think so. Asian stock […]

MATTHEWS: Political social media influencers need to do better

I’ve been on social media for many years, and one of the most persistent things that has irked me has been all the times I’ve noticed leftist influencers with large followings posting information that either […]

HILL: The transcendent allure of a just society